Read Your Writes Book Reviews: Review ~ NEVER TEAR US APART by Monica Murphy

Never Tear Us Apart (Never Tear Us Apart, #1)

by: Monica Murphy

Series: Never Tear Us Apart

Genre: New Adult Romance, Romantic Suspense

Release Date: January 5, 2016

Publisher: Random House ~ Bantam via NetGalley

Perfect for readers of Colleen Hoover, Jay Crownover, and K. A. Tucker, the first novel in this darkly sexy contemporary series from bestselling author Monica Murphy kicks off an emotionally powerful two-part tale of forbidden love.

Crazy how eight years can disappear in an instant. One look at Katie Watts, and I’m a fifteen-year-old again—the one who risked everything to save a terrified girl from her twisted kidnapper. She’s grown-up now—beautiful, quiet, composed—and telling her story to the world. A story that involves me in more ways than you can imagine. She used to call me her guardian angel. Sure, I risked my life, but she was worth dying for.

I need to make contact with her. Just to ensure that she’s safe.

Somehow we reconnect. We become friends . . . but I want more. I want to make her mine. And she wants me too. Does she know who I am? Has she figured me out? Not yet. But she will. In the meantime, I need to make sure that whatever hold that animal had on her is gone.

So, yeah, I’m stealing these moments with her. Savoring them. Knowing, dreading, that she’ll soon find out who I really am. And everything will fall apart. All because of that twisted, perverted monster sitting on death row. Her kidnapper. A convicted serial killer.

My father.

REVIEW

I wanted to read Never Tear Us Apart because the cover and book description had me thinking of M. O’Keefe’s Everything I Left Unsaid series. In my enthusiasm to read the book, I missed the last line of the description, “My father”. Oh man, talk about a crazy forbidden relationship. Monica Murphy starts Never Tear Us Apart with a letter to readers about why she wanted to write this book. She adds a note about content found in the book that could put readers off. I have to admit, it had me second guessing my desire to read the book. However, my belief that this story was going to be amazing, with a remarkable couple is what sealed my desire to read this book.

Eight years ago, Katie Watts and Will Monroe met under less than ideal circumstances. In fact, fifteen-year-old Will saved twelve-year-old Katie from a horrible situation. He saved her from her kidnapper and tormentor, his father. In that moment, his actions lead her to view him as her guardian angel. The two share an unimaginable bond no one else could ever possibly understand. Over the years, the two were forced to forget about the other, but in the back of their minds, the other was always there.

The story starts off with Katherine, as she likes to be called now, doing an interview on what happened to her and what her life is like now. One of the many people watching the interview is Will, who goes by Ethan Williams now. The interview awakes a strong desire for Ethan to find Katherine and make sure she is truly okay. Truth be told, in the short time Ethan was with and knew Katie, he fell in love with her. Now, he doesn’t only want to make sure she’s safe, he wants to claim her as his own.

Never Tear Us Apart is told in first person, from the point of view of both Katherine/Katie and Will/Ethan. It gives you glimpses into their lives both present day and eight years ago. I will admit that I did skip one past chapter, regarding Katie and the events of her torture. However, in my opinion, my skipping a chapter/scene didn’t take away from the book. There is never a time when you as the reader doesn’t know what Katie went through.

This installment of the duology didn’t have as big of an effect on me as I thought it would. I think it had more to do with the fact that I was mentally prepared for the events. What you get with Never Tear Us Apart is a young couple who has survived. They share a very nice, unimaginable, forbidden love story. I’ll admit this is a little weird. But I completely understand it. Ethan had a horrible childhood. He was abandoned by his mother and abused by his father. He was accused of heinous acts that he didn’t commit. But somehow, he managed to turn his life around. Katie has desperately tried to overcome her past. But how can she, when no one around her understands what she’s been through. She’s a shell of the person she could be. She has no idea what it means to be happy for more than a moment. She doesn’t view herself as a victim, but a survivor who’s damaged.

I HATED that Ethan kept his true identity from Katie. There were plenty of times he could have told her the truth, but was too afraid to lose her to do so. He brings her out of her shell. She unknowingly becomes more comfortable with herself. Braver.

Never Tear Us Apart ends in a cliffhanger that will have you shaking your eReader or hitting the book a couple of times. I desperately have to know what happens next for these two.

**Received a copy from Bantam in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**

Rating: 4